How to build comfortable cages for rabbits. Homemade cages for eared animals - cheap, simple and convenient! Profile rabbit cages

A rabbit cage can be easily built at home from scrap materials. But it is important to take into account the shape of the structure and its safety for furry residents. The success of rabbit breeding largely depends on these factors. What should an ideal abode for eared animals be like, what is best to build it from and how to do it correctly - you will learn about this later in the article.

What should a rabbit's home be like?

The development of pododermatitis and frequent injuries to the limbs in rabbits are the first signals of improper maintenance. In the future, such conditions will not in the best possible way affect the productivity of wards and their safety. Therefore, the breeder, in addition to feeding and watering, as well as animal stocking density, should pay close attention to the features of rabbit housing.

Ideally, cages for long-eared pets should provide reliable shelter from bad weather and at the same time be well ventilated and illuminated. Constant monitoring of exposure levels is important external factors, which largely depends on weather conditions, season and time of day.
It is unacceptable for animal feces to collect inside. Many rabbit breeders solve this problem by installing a slatted floor. But, according to experts, it is in the mesh cells that the highest degree of injury is recorded. Therefore, such designs are extremely undesirable for rabbits.

These animals are very sensitive to air exchange and dampness. Excess ammonia and hydrogen sulfide have a bad effect on their productivity. Therefore, the air humidity in the rabbit house should correspond to 60 – 70 %.

Important! Fine spinous straw or hay is strictly not recommended for rabbits as bedding. Soft, awnless cereals are preferred. They are used from late autumn until spring. At other times of the year, it is necessary to cover the floor only in cages with pregnant females. And then they do this 5 days before the birth.

Their home should be inaccessible to rodents and predators. It can be built from used boards, plywood, bricks, carvings, and slate. Multi-tiered group structures are ideal for mass breeding of long-eared animals. On them, as on the simplest cells, it is recommended to provide a single- or gable roof.
Experienced rabbit breeders advise:

  1. Choose dry and elevated areas for placing rabbit cages, away from sources of dampness and ponds, but in the shade of trees. This is due to eared intolerance to direct sunlight.
  2. Strictly monitor the ventilation of the structure and prevent the slightest drafts. In the houses of wards, air movement that exceeds a speed of 30 m/s is undesirable.
  3. For the winter, insulate the cages so that the temperature of keeping the animals corresponds to the range of +10...+20 °C.
  4. Make sure that in winter time indoor rabbit hutches were illuminated for at least 10 hours a day. Ideally, this problem can be solved by installing a window on the entire wall on the east side of the structure.
  5. Install cages at a height of 80 – 100 cm from the ground. This is necessary to protect the wards from rats, and this solution will greatly facilitate maintenance.

Did you know? In Australia, rabbit breeding is prohibited by law, violation of which carries a fine of $30,000. This is due to the fact that local residents consider wild animals to be the most destructive pests. Every year they destroy agricultural crops and, with their vigorous activity, lead to the degradation of entire lands, causing damage to the population amounting to over 600 million dollars.

How to make a house for a rabbit with your own hands

Regardless of what type of cage you prefer, and how many individuals it will be designed for, its basis is: frame, walls, floor, ceiling and doors. But before you take up the tool, you need to thoroughly understand required sizes design and make its drawings.

Design and sizing

Classic version The rabbit queen cell has dimensions of 70 x 100 x 60 cm. For young animals, the structure can be made according to the same parameters, shortening the length by 30 cm.

It is important for the builder to understand that the entire area of ​​the structure for the female rabbit and her offspring will subsequently be divided into a walking area and a remote nook. The first zone in most cases is a square with sides of 50 cm.

And the second is a blind box with a length of 25 cm and a width of 50 cm. A removable door is attached to the front side of the structure, and a small hole at a height of 15 cm is provided on the wall adjacent to the walking space.

There must be a tray under the floor to collect feces. The floor can be made of densely placed wide slats. When using gratings, to avoid injury, be sure to cover them with a mat, leaving small gaps around the perimeter.
Experienced breeders advise calculating the height of the rabbit hutch at 55 cm on the front side, and 30 cm on the back side. The slope on the roof can serve as a pallet if placed at the top of the second tier. For reliability, it will need to be galvanized.

Did you know? Rabbits chew 120 times per minute and have more than 17 thousand taste buds.

If you are planning to build a two-section house for adult rabbits, calculate its length within 140 – 210 cm, width 60 – 70 cm and height 50 – 70 cm. The sections will be separated by a V-shaped feeder for grass and hay. On the front side, provide 2 solid doors in the nesting compartments and 2 mesh doors in the walking areas.

Remember that the size of the cages largely depends on the breed of the wards and the way they are kept. For example:

  • rabbits about 0.5 is required – 0,7 square meters squares;
  • adult males- 0.17 m2;
  • young animals- 0.12 m2.

Materials and tools for work

You can build an abode for long-eared pets from any material that you have on your farm. But, according to experts, among all the available varieties, wood has proven itself best. It is environmentally friendly, durable, retains heat well and does not heat up in hot weather.

Did you know? The left rabbit's foot in many cultures around the world, including Europe, Northern and South America, Africa and China, is revered as a talisman of good luck and happiness. It is likely that the belief in magical power Long-eared paws originated in European countries from 600 BC among the Celtic peoples.

Metal is absolutely not suitable for such structures. In winter, animals in such a house can freeze, and in summer they can overheat. You should also avoid using chipboard. This material quickly absorbs moisture, resulting in severe crumbling.
Here is a list of what is needed for further work tools and materials:

  • 10 wooden beams 3 m long, 30 x 50 mm (for frame);
  • boards or plywood sheets size 1.5 by 1.5 m, thickness ― 10 mm (for wall cladding);
  • a meter piece of slate (for the roof);
  • wooden slats 3 cm wide or welded mesh with cells 15 x 15 mm (for the floor);
  • metal sheet 1 m long (for constructing a pallet);
  • 4 canopies (for fastening 2 doors);
  • boards (for a blind door);
  • welded mesh with cells 2.5 x 2.5 cm (for the ventilation door in the walking area);
  • metal rods (for a V-shaped hay feeder);
  • electric drill;
  • hammer;
  • wood saw;
  • roulette;
  • pliers;
  • construction stapler;
  • square;
  • pencil for marking;
  • coarse sandpaper;
  • 1 kg of self-tapping screws 30 and 70 mm, nails.

Step by step instructions

When everything you need is available, you can get to work:

  1. Cut the measured length of the beams. On a flat surface, put together the frame of the structure from the prepared blanks. In the case of a multi-tiered structure, be sure to provide a space of up to 15 cm after each of the tiers for installing a pallet.
  2. Connect the front and rear beams with transverse slats. This is the basis for the cell.
  3. Measure 4 legs for the rabbit house from the prepared wooden blocks. Pin them to the resulting wooden rectangle so that there is a height margin of 30–40 cm to the floor.
  4. Measure the slats for the door and use screws to connect them. Then cover the resulting frame with mesh. Fasteners are made from the inside using a construction stapler.
  5. Measure the required length of the boards and cut the blanks. Cover the frame of the cage with them.
  6. Hang the doors on the hinges and provide a latch on it. It is convenient when the structure opens from top to bottom.
  7. Inside the center of the cage, attach a V-shaped hay barn, dividing the space into 2 sections.
  8. Now you can start building the blind pen. Many rabbit breeders build it with a removable plywood bottom to prevent increased dampness inside the cage. Therefore, this part of the house must be made entirely of boards or plywood.
  9. Between the nesting and walking areas, install a plywood partition with an opening for the passage of residents.
  10. After that, make a solid door in the blind part of the cage, also attaching it to the hinges. Don't forget to attach a latch to it.
  11. Mount the roof from boards or slate. It is desirable that it be folding. Therefore, experienced owners advise using hinged hinges as fasteners.
  12. Now lay the floor at the bottom of the slatted structure, leaving 1.5 cm gaps between them. If you retreat more, animals can get stuck in the openings and injure their paws. As an alternative, a mesh with small cells is suitable, but then you will need to provide a mat.
  13. From metal sheet build a low tray of appropriate dimensions and place it under the cage. Some manufacturers advise placing this part at an angle to make cleaning easier.
Video: DIY rabbit cages

Home improvement inside

After checking the safety of the finished cage, you can begin arranging it. First of all, pay attention to the floor. Rabbits often suffer from pododermatitis from mesh coverings. Therefore, if your structure is made of metal grating, be sure to cover it with a rug.

Carpet and wool products are absolutely not suitable for this, as they often cause disruptions in the animal’s gastrointestinal tract. Do not forget for a second that we are talking about a rodent that can taste everything within its reach.

After this, lay a thick layer of bedding on the floor. In the autumn-spring period, it is important for rabbits that their paws are protected from bedsores. Ideal for this sawdust, large straw or hay of soft, awnless cereal crops. You should be especially attentive to the choice of material when keeping downy breeds.
The awns caught in their fur cause discomfort and pain. Straw is preferable because it retains heat and is safe for the eared one. Remember that the larger the pet, the more bedding it needs. For adults, it is enough to lay a layer with a thickness of 12.5 – 15.5 cm.

In addition to the already provided cribs for hay and grass, you need to put a drinking bowl and a feeding trough in the animal’s cage. It is important that these containers cannot become overturned or become clogged with excrement. Therefore, experienced rabbit breeders advise purchasing a commercial drinking bowl, which is attached from the inside to the front side of the cage. And you can build a feeder yourself.

To do this, attach a wooden block vertically in the cage and attach a wooden rectangle 7 cm high and 30 cm wide to it. Pin a guide block on top at a distance of 20 cm.

And after that, sew up the structure with plywood, so that the sheathing fits between the guide beams to the top, and at the bottom rests against the feeder, but does not block access to feed. As a result, you will be able to fill the structure through the top.

House care

Rabbits are very sensitive to cleanliness in their abode. It is this factor that largely determines the health of pets. Therefore, the breeder regularly needs:

  • remove manure from the pan (ammonia fumes have a very bad effect on the health of eared animals);
  • change the bedding in the cage daily (otherwise the animal will get sick due to increased dampness);
  • Before each feeding, clean the feeders from food residues (rabbits are characterized by increased sensitivity of the gastrointestinal tract);
  • change water in drinking bowls every day;
  • Every six months, carry out a general cleaning of the rabbit house and completely disinfect it.

Did you know? A two-kilogram rabbit can drink as much water as a ten-kilogram dog.

Getting rid of pathogenic microflora in rabbit cells is not so easy. Therefore, this process cannot be started. The rabbit breeder must understand that infections and viruses are extremely tenacious, infecting each new generation of animals that are bred under these conditions. Consequently, it is possible to prevent the death of livestock by timely disinfection of cages and all equipment.
Disinfection of cells and all equipment Since the microbes living in the abode of long-eared animals are very resistant to high and low temperatures and quickly get used to pesticides, they can only be destroyed by special disinfection methods. All surfaces (both internal and external) of the rabbitry, all equipment involved in care, as well as the walls, floor and ceiling of the room in which the cage is located must be treated.

Did you know? Rabbits' eyes are designed in such a way that they can watch what is happening behind them without turning around.

First, the rabbits are transplanted from the structure, and only after that the space is cleared of feces, bedding and dirt. Then remove all the removable elements and use a hose to spray hot water wash the cage from the inside. This procedure is repeated with any detergents and a brush. The same is done with equipment, feeders and drinkers.

After the manipulations have been completed, the rabbit housing is left to dry and only then treated with disinfectants: Virocide, Ash Lye, Ecocide S, Formalin, Glutex, Virosan, Belizna, Virkon S, formaldehyde solution, soda ash or Bromosept-50.
Now you can return all objects removed from the cage to their place and place pets in them. Their health is no longer in danger.

As you can see, at home, using scrap materials, you can independently build a rabbitry of the required size for a certain number of animals. The most difficult thing in this process is calculating dimensions and preparing drawings. We hope our article will help you resolve these nuances and quickly complete the construction.

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Breeding and keeping pets involves a large degree of responsibility for the breeder and requires strict adherence to certain rules. One of the most important is the creation of acceptable living conditions for the animal. They should be close to natural.

Rabbits have a high degree of resistance to various diseases. They are unpretentious to food and living conditions, and reproduce easily. But despite all this, animals need a properly organized home.

The construction of a house for pets must be approached competently. This takes into account the number of animals, their sex composition and age.

What is needed for rabbit farming?

To practice at home, no special financial costs are required. It is necessary to have cages for animals, drinking bowls, and containers for food. All this is easy to do with your own hands.

Harvesting hay and branches can be done in the summer. Root vegetables and vegetables are easy to harvest from your own garden. The main expense item will be animal vaccination and the purchase of concentrated feed.

Each cage should house same-sex animals of approximately the same age, weight and character. It is recommended to place adult animals and females with rabbits in one- and two-section cages.

The sizes of rabbit cages have standard indicators:

  • length - 100-120 cm;
  • height - 50 cm;
  • width - 70 cm.

For young rabbits, wooden cages covered with steel mesh are suitable. Their sizes correspond to the sizes of animals. For example, for 10 individuals, a cage with the same dimensions as indicated above will be acceptable, but its length should be 170 cm.

How to build a single-tier cage?

Many people are interested in how to make a rabbit cage with their own hands. Of course, if available necessary materials it's not that difficult. The article presents drawings of rabbit cages. Recommendations on the choice of materials for work are also given.

For the outside of the cage system, the most popular are double, single-tier rabbit cages.

The length of such cells is 220-240 cm, and the width is 65 cm. The height of the front wall is 35 cm. The roof should have one slope, equipped with a canopy protruding forward by 20 cm, and from the sides by 10 cm.

There are two compartments for food in the cage. The floor is made of metal mesh. The cell size should be 18x18 mm or 16x48 mm. The width of the mesh should be 2 cm, and the gap between them is 1.5-1.8 cm.

Do-it-yourself rabbit cages with the correct design should have a partition with a hole, the width of which is 17 cm and the height - 20 cm. It should be located between the nesting box and the feeding compartment in order to prevent the young rabbits from entering the nesting compartment into the feeding compartment. The manhole is constructed at a height of 10-15 cm from the floor.

On the front side of the cage, two doors made of mesh are hung, which lead to the feeding compartment, as well as two solid doors made of boards, leading to the nesting compartment. Feeders with a removable structure and drinking bowls must be hung on the doors leading to the food.

For feeding with roughage, a nursery is installed between the compartments. They are based on two wooden frames on which a mesh is stretched. The size of the mesh cells should be 20x50 mm. The lower ends of the frames are aligned, and the upper ends are moved apart to the sides of the feed compartment. The result is a V-shaped crib for roughage.

What materials will be needed?

To build a single-tier cage for two individuals, the performer will need:

  • Plywood with an area of ​​2 m2.
  • Metal mesh with cell size 18x18 mm or welded mesh 16x48 mm (1.3 m2).
  • Mesh with cells 35x35 cm or 24x48 cm (0.6 m2).

Making bunk cages

The cost of constructing a two-tier animal cage is not that high. This is due to the fact that the design is simple. In addition, the cash costs will pay off in the first months of use.

What materials will be needed?

To make a cage with two tiers you will need:

  • Two wood fiber sheets.
  • Bars measuring 60x100 mm (4 pcs.).
  • Picket fence strips (50 pcs.).
  • Ruberoid measuring 4x2 m for the construction of a pallet.
  • Nails.
  • Dye.

What equipment will be needed?

  • Two deep bowls covered with enamel (their diameter should be 220 mm).
  • Manure collection tank (approximately 300 mm high).
  • Pair VPI-03 (also used household use immersed in water).
  • Step-down transformers 220x127 V (4 pcs. per 8 cells).
  • Five-liter polyethylene canisters (4 pcs.).

Cage design

Rabbit hutches should be positioned according to how the light will fall. The blank closed wall where the crates and feeders are located should face north. This protects animals from winds and cold.

The roof is constructed so that it overhangs 90 cm from the north, and 60 cm from the south. From the west and east, the roof should be level with the protruding beams.

Two-tier rabbit hutches contain a frame stand, a lower and an upper tier. You can also build a roof from the roof. As a rule, transparent or translucent material is used. You can also use roofing material.

The tier on top is a nursery, that is, it will serve as a place for raising rabbits after finishing feeding on mother's milk. This room is made of different cells. One of them must be larger than the frame.

The depositor is divided into two parts by means of a feeder for mixed feed, which has exits on both sides. A common canister drinking bowl is also installed here. Each compartment should be equipped with a folding feeder for mixed feed and a nursery for fresh and dry grass. They look like an opening door. There is a door attached to the drinker.

The floor of the tier is horizontal. Its basis can be made of wooden slats, which are located at an angle of 45º so that small rabbits cannot injure their paws. All walls and doors of the cage are made of lattice. The exception is the north side.

Below is the uterine tier. It consists of two compartments: nesting and walking. It may also include the same components that are present in the upper tier.

The nest compartment has a removable floor. It is located below the rest of the tiered area. The queen cell will be placed in this compartment. Before the rabbit brings the babies, she will instinctively sneak into it herself.

The rest of the nest should be stationary. It is equipped with a wall with a hole that is closed with a valve. It is better to equip the door to the nest with hinges from below, so that open state it served as a platform for the animal.

The walking compartment is equipped with a floor made of slats located perpendicularly. This ensures structural rigidity. In the walking area there is a canister drinker, a folding feeder and a bunker feeder for mixed feed. Nursery on the stand at the back of the paddock. A door must also be installed for the automatic drinker.

A window is constructed in the floor of the walking compartment at the end of the conical shaft, which is attached under the floor of the upper tier. The pitched shaft communicates with a bunker equipped with a removable door and a container for manure. Thus, rabbit cages will be cleaned due to special doors, which will also make feed containers accessible. The containers themselves are located under the inclined nets of the feeders.

At the bottom of the cage frame there is a compartment for electrical equipment. At the same time, this place serves as a nursery for rabbits. It must be locked. For convenient loading of the feeders, you need to build it folding outward.

The design of the feeder for mixed feed has a body with windows for rabbits, as well as a tray. It is constructed from a mesh with small cells.

All folding components must be equipped with handles, hinges and latches, as well as, if necessary, mortise locks.

The side and front walls are tightened with a fine mesh, the working side can be covered with a mesh with large cells.

Mini-farm from two-tier cages

To build a small farm based on two-tier cells, you do not need a lot of space. One cell occupies 1.4 m2. If you build a farm of two rows and use eight cells with an opening between them of 70 cm (measured along the legs) and a passage of 110 cm, then the area of ​​the farm will be equal to 25 m2.

Each cage houses up to 25 rabbits at a time. In the lower part there will be a female rabbit with a new offspring, and in the upper part - the previous offspring.

Double-tier cages have been used on experimental farms for a number of years and have proven to be highly cost-effective and profitable. So their use is recommended for all farmers.

Making a family unit - cages of three sections

Making rabbit cages of this design with your own hands is a more difficult task. But such family blocks are very convenient for breeding animals. The central part is inhabited by a male, and on the sides there are female rabbits.

The wooden partitions between the cell compartments are equipped with manholes with plywood latches. They are designed to easily attach females to males and return them back to their compartment.

What materials are a cell made of?

The basis of the frame can be bars. The walls on the sides and the compartment for the nest with doors and partitions are constructed from clapboard.

A metal mesh is used for the front wall. The nesting compartments have an attic part - this is a free space between the ceiling and the common roof, where female rabbits can rest.

An additional convenience is that the location of the feeders and drinkers is designed in such a way that they are not subject to contamination and can be filled from the outside.

Cages for rabbits designed by breeder N. I. Zolotukhin

The famous rabbit breeder N.I. Zolotukhin has been breeding these cute animals for several decades. Such a wealth of experience helped him design a new cage for rabbits.

Features of breeder cages

  • The floor in them is solid. Its base is slate or boards.
  • There are no pallets in the cages.
  • A narrow strip of mesh flooring is located only along the rear walls of the structure.
  • The rear walls are installed at an angle so that rabbit waste from the tiers located above does not fall on the rabbits located in the lower tiers.
  • There are no special queen cells. The female rabbit builds her own nest before giving birth.
  • Grain feeders are attached to the doors and are turned outward for filling.

A diagram of the rabbitry is presented below.

How to make cages for dwarf rabbits with your own hands?

If you want to have houses, their cages are constructed in a different way. Pet stores offer many different models. But you don't have to buy them. You can make a cage for your pet yourself, and it won’t take much time.

The structure consists of two walls on the sides, the size of which is 70x70 cm. The rear wall is attached in such a way that there is a gap under the cage. The height of the back wall is 55 cm, length - 100 cm.

Meter-long slats are nailed to the bottom of the cage. A metal mesh is fixed on top of them.

The cage lid is made of mesh with hinges. It is equipped with a handle. A tray is installed under the cage.

How to choose a grid?

When making rabbit hutches, of course, you will need a mesh. In order for the manufacturer to better understand which mesh choice will be optimal, we recommend using a number of tips.

Many people wonder: is galvanized mesh, steel or aluminum material suitable? It is better to opt for a steel structure, as it is durable.

To make a cage made of wood with mesh doors and a floor, you should choose the mesh carefully so that it does not injure the animals' paws. Experienced breeders advise using it with small cells. The material used is metal. The mesh thickness is 2 mm, and the cell size is 16x48 mm. A galvanized mesh is suitable for constructing the side walls of the cage.

Any type of mesh is used to construct the door. It does not have to be welded. Wicker can also be used.

IN warm time For years, animals can be kept in an enclosure fenced with a mesh. A wicker structure with a thickness of 1.2 mm is suitable for it.

Raising rabbits is a profitable and uncomplicated activity. These animals do not require special care and exceptional conditions of detention, so 2-3 eared fluffies can be placed on summer cottage or even in an apartment.

Many novice farmers are involved in breeding rabbits. And the first thing you should purchase for a rabbit farm is cages.

Rabbits are animals that do not require special living conditions. That’s why you don’t have to buy houses for them: you can make them yourself.

Advantages of handmade houses:

  • during construction, all the features of the premises, its location and conditions of maintenance are taken into account;
  • the costs of setting up a rabbit farm are significantly reduced;
  • Making cells yourself will help avoid defects, which are often allowed at the factory.

An example of a homemade house in the photo.

Advantages of factory cages:

  • ideal design, which provides optimal conditions for the life of animals;
  • the structure is equipped with nests, drinking bowls, feeders, trays;
  • Factory products are constantly being improved, their designs are becoming more complex: by purchasing a ready-made cage, a farmer can be sure that he will become the owner of modern equipment.

Factory houses are shown in the photo.

Advice! Buying ready-made cages will cost a considerable amount, while making rabbit housing yourself is a very budget-friendly undertaking.

Cell types

If you are seriously going to start breeding rabbits, then you will have to build several rooms:

  • for fattening rabbits;
  • for keeping female rabbits with cubs;
  • for males.

To provide housing for rabbits, you need to build an entire “residential complex”. It can be installed both outdoors and in a barn: it all depends on natural conditions specific region. You can develop drawings for creating cells yourself or find ready-made ones in specialized magazines and on the Internet.

Cages for males

Males are housed in separate houses. This avoids fights, competition for food, as well as unplanned mating (if males and females are kept in the same room). The size of the house should be such that the rabbit can move freely inside it. If the males are cramped, they will become lazy and obese. And this can affect reproductive function: rabbits will stop producing offspring.

Houses for rabbits with rabbits should be spacious enough. They are located in one tier and consist of two compartments: the main and uterine. To prevent the babies from freezing in winter, the uterine compartment must be thoroughly insulated.

Rabbits at the age of 2–3 months are placed in such houses if they were unable to gain the required weight while living with their mother. To give the female the opportunity to give birth to new rabbits, the grown-up babies are placed in a separate room and fattened to the desired weight.

Types of cells

Now there are a lot of modifications, but the most popular design for keeping rabbits is still a two-section cage.

You can make a house for adult animals with your own hands. It will take several hours to create a home, but you can be sure that the room meets all the requirements for keeping furry pets.

The finished cage for adult animals is shown in the photo.

Stages of work:

  1. Make a house frame from 4 wooden beams. It should be rectangular; its dimensions are equal to the length and width of the future product.
  2. Place the house on its legs. To do this, take 4 beams: 2 of them should have a length equal to the height of the front wall + 30 cm, and another 2 – the height of the back wall + 30 cm. The frame of the front wall is formed by long beams, the back - by shorter ones (a difference of 10–15 is enough cm). Screw them to the rectangular base so that it rises 30 cm above the floor. These will be the legs.
  3. Attach galvanized mesh to the rectangular floor base so that it covers the middle part of the room. Leave a space of 35–40 cm long on each side for nesting compartments. Cover the floor in the nests with plywood suitable size so that it slightly grabs the mesh.
  4. Install the side and back walls of plywood and complete the frame of the house. To do this, secure 1 long beam at the very top between the front side beams.
  5. Separate the nesting compartments from the rest of the room with slats. Between these slats and the back wall, install dividers: plywood sheets with holes cut in them. The holes are needed to allow rabbits to move freely between the nesting and feeding compartments. Attach a roof to each nest.
  6. Divide the room into 2 sections cross beam. Make feeders out of plywood and screw them on opposite sides of the dividing strip.
  7. To ensure that the bottom holds well, turn the structure over and secure the mesh with nails and slats.
  8. Make a bunker for feeders from 4 sheets of plywood, which should be slightly higher in height smaller house. The hopper should look like a "V" and expand towards the top. Attach it between the feeders so that after pouring the food from this funnel can be easily fed into the feeders.
  9. Closer to the back wall, make a manger for rougher food: hay and grass. Their width should be 30 cm. To make it convenient for rabbits to pull out blades of grass from there, make walls of wire rods on both sides.
  10. Attach a roof to the cage. It should protrude slightly above the cage. In the middle, where the feeders are located, build a slider door that you can pull out to add food. For convenience, attach a wooden or metal handle to it.
  11. Attach doors made from slats to the front wall. Stretch the mesh between the slats. The nesting compartments can be left without external holes, or they can have solid wooden doors.

Drawings for making such cells are easy to find.

Houses for three-month-old rabbits

For up to three months, rabbits are kept in groups of 6–8 individuals, so group housing is used to keep them. They are made in the same way as double houses. The only difference is that a large number of rabbits require a different feeding system: they simply cannot all eat from a small feeder.

Stages of work:

  1. The frame of the house is made in the same way as the frame of double cages for adult animals. However, there is no need to divide the room into two sections. The cage will consist of nesting and feeding compartments. In this case, the nesting compartment should be 1.5 times smaller than the aft compartment.
  2. Cover the floor of the nesting compartment with wood planks and separate it from the feeding compartment with a plywood wall with a hole for the movement of animals. Outer wall nests need to be made of plywood.
  3. The floor and front part of the aft compartment are made of mesh. In the front part you need to attach a door made of slats.
  4. Place a feeder along the entire length of the feed compartment. It should be positioned in such a way that part of it is in the cage, and part is outside (for the convenience of laying hay). It is made of mesh so that it is convenient for animals to pull out the grass. It is better to raise the feeder 3-4 cm above the floor so that the food is not contaminated with waste from the baby rabbits.
Advice! Up to 12 animals can be kept in such a cage at the same time.

There are ready-made drawings for making such cells.

Two-tier (three-tier) shed

Two-tier and three-tier structures are made according to the same scheme as two-section houses for adult rabbits. But in this case, several cells are located above each other in tiers.

Stages of making a two-tier shed:

  1. Make 3 rectangular frames. They will become the floor and roof of future cells.
  2. Secure them onto long beams. Connect the first rectangle to the beams so that legs 30 cm high remain below. Fix the next rectangle at a height of 50 cm above the previous one, the third at a height of 10 cm above the second.
  3. Attach a galvanized mesh to the first and third rectangles, which will serve as the floor for the aft compartment. Equip both houses in the same way as a regular two-section cell.
  4. The second rectangle will serve as both a roof for the lower house and a pallet for the upper one. Between the second and third rectangles you need to install a removable box into which waste from the upper house will be poured through the mesh.

In this way, you can make not only a two-tier, but also a three-tier shed. If you make several of these structures, you will have a real rabbit farm.

What a multi-tiered structure for keeping rabbits might look like can be seen in the photo.

House for a rabbit with a nest

To make a house for a rabbit with a nest with your own hands, you need to take into account some of the features of this structure. The house for the rabbit is built separately from other buildings. It would be good if it was portable so that animals could be moved from the street to the barn.

Stages of work:

  1. Put together a frame for the house, make the back wall and sides from plywood. This structure should have two compartments: the main and the uterine.
  2. For each of them, make a separate door: to the compartment for the rabbit - from a mesh, to the queen cell - from plywood or thin boards.
  3. To prevent the baby rabbits from freezing, insulate the queen cell. It is advisable to make it a double floor, walls and roof, in the space between which you need to lay insulation: polystyrene foam, straw or any other material. If winters are very cold, then a “warm floor” system is suitable: a heating pad is placed between two floor levels. The wire from the unit is routed outside so that the animals do not gnaw it.
  4. The roof is covered with water-repellent material.

The photo shows what a house for a rabbit with a baby should look like.

Do you need a house with a walk?

If the owner of a rabbit farm has a large green area at his disposal, then houses with walking in this case - great option. They look the same as regular rabbit houses, only on the back wall they have a door through which the rabbits are let out for a walk.

You can make a walking area with your own hands. Behind the cage you need to equip a large enclosure. Its frame is made of wooden slats, and the walls are covered with a dense mesh. It is better to place the aviary on sunny side: Rabbits spend most of their lives in dark cages, and they simply need the sun.

Advice! If your farm is safe enough for rabbits to graze on grass, then run houses can be made without legs. Then the animals will be able to eat pasture. And when the grass in the enclosure runs out, the rabbit’s home can simply be moved to another place. If on a farm there is a possibility that mice, cats or martens will get into the enclosure, then the enclosure will be equipped on stilts.

What is the advantage of cages with walking? The thing is, rabbits need space to run around. If they have the opportunity to be in the fresh air and periodically stretch their paws, they will get sick less, gain weight faster and reproduce more actively. In addition, the fur of such animals will be much fluffier and shiny than that of their sedentary relatives.

A house with a walk can be like in the photo.

Place for a house

The choice of location for the house depends on the climatic conditions of the region. If winter frosts are very rare in your region, then rabbit houses can be safely placed outside. However, it is worth choosing a place where there are no drafts and excessive humidity: rabbits are susceptible to colds.

Advice! You can keep rabbits indoors, but the ideal option is combined keeping: in the summer, rabbit houses are displayed on fresh air, and in winter they go back to the barn or house.

If you are installing shad cages, it is advisable to arrange them in two rows and turn the facades towards each other. An adult must pass freely between the rows.

Rabbits do not like intense lighting, but if the houses are located in a barn, then the room should be equipped with several lamps. They should illuminate the rabbit's home for 8-10 hours a day.

Materials

To make cells with your own hands, it is recommended to use the following materials:

  • wood (beams, slats, plywood);
  • galvanized mesh with small size cells (it depends on the size of the rabbits);
  • plastic for finishing work;
  • slate or tiles for the roof if the cage will be located outside.
Advice! All wooden parts of the product must be well sanded, and the edges of the galvanized mesh must be tightly nailed to the surface. Rabbits are delicate creatures that can easily be injured by poorly processed parts of their home.

It is not recommended to use metal for arranging rabbit cages. Under the rays of the sun, this material heats up greatly, and in the cold season it freezes. In such a home, rabbits will feel uncomfortable, begin to get sick and stop breeding.

Tools

To make a rabbit house with your own hands, you will need the following tools:

  • hammer;
  • roulette;
  • wood hacksaw;
  • plane;
  • scissors for cutting mesh;
  • pliers;
  • nails, screws, self-tapping screws, corners;
  • screwdriver and screwdriver;
  • sandpaper.

Cage dimensions

The size of rabbit cages depends on the size of the animals. A single cage for a male rabbit should have a width of at least 0.6 m and a length of 0.8–1.1 m. If the rabbits are large, then the size of the section should be increased. One rabbit weighing more than 5 kg requires a room with a length of 1.3 to 1.5 m.

The size of the room for young animals depends on the number of rabbits. They can be placed in groups of 5–8, and with compact planting - 12 individuals per house. The width of the cells in this case should be 1 m, the height should be from 0.35 to 0.6 m, and the length should be 2–3 m.

In any case, one adult rabbit should not have less than 0.5–0.7 m2, and one cub should not have less than 0.15–0.2 m2.

Having studied these simple recommendations, you can easily equip your rabbit farm. If you make houses for animals yourself, the enterprise will cost a small amount. And rabbits bring considerable income: after all, not only the tender meat of these animals is valued, but also their wool and manure.

The “dietary and easily digestible meat” of rabbit leaves no one indifferent, which is why many farmers breed these animals. An indispensable “assistant” in such a matter will be a multifunctional cage for rabbits, which they can build on their own. There are many options for creating such a design, but it is worth giving preference to the best.

Choosing a suitable location for a rabbitry

Before the start construction project determine the location for construction. The nursery is located on the street or in a utility room.

In the first case, a suitable area is selected, protected from:

  • dampness;
  • draft;
  • exposure to direct sunlight.

The health of animals, as well as the quality characteristics of meat and fur, depend on proper housing conditions. Therefore, they also think about the number of cages for rabbits and the sizes of sections. Select a cozy area for the queen cell.

Air humidity in the rabbitry should not exceed 75%. Therefore, the building is installed away from ponds or other sources of water.

Types and dimensions of rabbit hutches

For the full-fledged rearing of individuals, an entire “residential complex” is created. It can consist of several blocks, which are formed into 2-3 tiers to save space.

  • pregnant rabbits;
  • young animals;
  • males;
  • adults;
  • females with offspring.

Calculation of area for each individual rabbit. Adults are allocated up to 0.7 m² of space, and cubs - only 0.25 m².

The size of the cage for rabbits is determined taking into account the needs and developmental characteristics of the animals. The table below provides recommendations for the design of buildings when maintaining different types animals.

It is worth considering that females with cubs are sent to a nest-nursery, which differs:

  • high-quality thermal insulation (layer of foam or hay);
  • special purity;
  • high sound insulation (double walls);
  • sufficient space.

It is recommended to keep adult rabbits in block structures, divided into 2-3 compartments. A mesh is usually used as a partition. As the offspring grow older, it is removed, impoverishing the sections among themselves.

Each rabbit cage should be equipped with space for:

  • eating;
  • walks.

The optimal dimensions of each compartment are 30x60x50 cm. The space is zoned using plywood partitions. In each of them holes are formed for the free movement of animals. The maximum height from the floor of the openings made should not exceed 15-20 cm. For young animals, a cage is built, the bottom of which is presented in the form of solid plywood. Mesh or slatted surfaces in most cases contribute to the development of pododermatitis.

When breeding giant rabbits, their non-standard weight is taken into account. For this reason, the floor of the structure is additionally reinforced with a thick galvanized mesh or lathing made of bars.

What materials are rabbit cages made of?

The farmer’s main task when constructing such structures is to create conditions as close as possible to the natural habitat of rabbits. Based on this, for construction they choose only natural materials. Ideal option high quality wooden beams will be used for the frame and supports.

When constructing walls, the following are often used:

  • boards;
  • thick plywood;
  • wooden slats;
  • galvanized mesh.

Breeders do not recommend using chipboard, since the material is highly hygroscopic. As a result, the structure will begin to quickly absorb moisture, which will lead to swelling and destruction of the cell.

According to sanitary standards The wood must be sanded, sanded, and then treated with antiseptic agents. Next we start designing.

As a standard, a rabbitry consists of several parts:

  • main frame;
  • walls;
  • ceiling;
  • roofs;
  • supports

Aviaries that are installed under open air, must be equipped with a powerful roof. It is not recommended to make it from metal, since when exposed to the sun the surface will overheat very much.

This will lead to heat stroke in the animals. Therefore, the upper part of a homemade rabbit cage is covered with slate or ondulin. Depending on weather conditions, flooring is made of mineral or glass wool. Be sure to make doors, having prepared a sufficient number of fittings: awnings and latches.

Additional materials: insulation, sanding and plaster, as well as solid wire mesh. Slats, corners, screws and nails are used as fastenings.

Rabbit cage from professional breeders

Construction of a nursery begins with choosing a suitable drawing and calculating the quantity necessary materials. Then they begin to make a frame from wooden beams. The resulting base is coated with primer paint. They lay the floor, attach walls and partitions, and install the roof. A separate queen cell is set up and doors are installed. When the rabbit cage is ready, feeders and drinkers of various shapes are placed inside the building.

In most cases they are presented as:

  • gutters
  • bunkers;
  • cups;
  • ceramic bowls;
  • nursery feeders.

In the production of these parts, plastic, tin, plexiglass or wood are used. It is necessary to understand that these animals are insatiable rodents. Therefore, when constructing cages for rabbits with your own hands, the walls of the building are in most cases lined with sheets of tin.

Recommendations for slatted floors. The cross-section of the slats should not exceed 2.5×3 cm. Place them opposite each other at a distance of 1.5 cm, but no more. Otherwise, the pets’ limbs will fall into the holes, which will lead to injury to the animals.

Rabbit breed Dimensions of individuals Dimensions of queen cell, cm
Length, cm Weight, kg Length Height Depth Manhole (diameter)
Giant 75 10-12 95-100 80-85 50 20
Average 55-60 up to 6 70-80 60 40 18
Mini 40-45 2-3 60-65 40-50 35 15
Dwarf 30-35 0,6-1,75 40-45 25-30 20-25 10

Having become familiar with general idea building a nursery, it is worth considering in detail how to make a cage for rabbits with your own hands. Famous breeders offer multifunctional and practical designs for breeding these cute animals.

Zolotukhin's cage - more than just comfort

The famous rabbit breeder Nikolai Ivanovich Zolotukhin developed an original building plan for animals. Thanks to the successful design of the structure, the animals feel as protected as possible, and the farmer cleans their home much less often.

The main features of the Zolotukhin rabbit cage are:

  • formation of a 2-3-tier nursery;
  • ensuring the desired tilt of the rabbit cage;
  • replacing the mesh floor with slate or plywood;
  • mobile/mobile feeder;
  • lack of a permanent nesting site.

Traditionally, Zolotukhin’s cage is designed for 6 adults. However, you can increase or decrease the number of sections.

The floor of all compartments is made at a slope of 20-30˚ (6-8 cm), so that animal feces spontaneously roll into the far part of the structure.
A grate (15-20 cm wide) is attached along the entire length of the back wall, through which the animals’ waste will come out. Each subsequent floor is mounted with a shift, exactly the width of the built-in grid. Similar device rabbitry is very practical, since, as has been noted, pets urinate precisely at the back wall of their home.

The feeder in such buildings is presented in the form of a bucket, which is attached with screws to the door frame of the cage. The food device rotates freely around its axis, like a swing. This allows you to clean it without any problems.

In this design there is no queen cell. However, the nest is made in a shaded corner of the building, separated by a board ½ the height of the rabbit cage.
A sufficient amount of hay is placed there, from which the female independently forms a nest. Once babies reach one month of age, the separating sheet and space are removed.

Scheme and nuances of cell construction

Nikolai Ivanovich considered it necessary to install a sennik between the cells. The rabbit breeder divided each tier with a device made of wooden slats. The academician connected the lower ends of the planks, and left a distance of 20-30 cm in the upper part. The resulting triangular block will take up to 40 cm in length. When constructing a unique cage, Nikolai Zolotukhin suggests using ordinary drawings.

A three-tier rabbitry with 6 compartments can have the following exact dimensions:

  • height - 132 cm;
  • length - 248 cm;
  • depth and width of compartments - 60 cm;
  • height of the stand legs - 40 cm;
  • edging or connecting strips - 4 cm.

The height of each tier is different. The blocks on the first floor are 35 cm high, on the second - 49 cm, and on the third - 40 cm.

It is not always necessary to install a net at the back wall of a rabbit cage. It is enough just to make a gap with back side 2 cm, and also raise the floor of the structure by 8 cm. Wood block laid on a frame, and then laid a floor of plywood or slate. The result will be a hole through which feces will come out. Since the 2 parts of the structure are installed with the back wall facing each other, a sewer gutter is installed between them at the bottom. At the same time, it is made at a slight slope.

The frame is made of 4 beams. For strength, they are fastened with transverse wooden

Multifunctional cage for rabbits Mikhailov

The main feature of Mikhailov’s rabbitry is the technology automatic heating drinking bowls and queen liquor. For the most part, such designs are intended for ornamental cultivation pets

The building includes:

  • 4 main compartments;
  • 2 compartments for water;
  • cone-shaped outlet for feces;
  • 2 side feeders.

Often a cage for rabbits is made in 2 tiers. However, such a project is quite labor-intensive and expensive.

Depending on the number of floors of the nursery, the dimensions of the device can be as follows:

  • height - 120 or 70 cm;
  • width 240 cm;
  • waste collection cone - 100 cm;
  • stand supports - 140 cm.

The optimal height of the cage does not exceed 70 cm. The width of the compartment for an adult is 60 cm, including the place for drinking.

If necessary, a queen cell is mounted to the rear wall of the cage, the dimensions of which are 35x40 cm. Feeders are made trapezoidal shape and attached to the side walls of the structure. The floor is assembled from slats, laying each of them at a distance of 1.5 cm from each other. A chute for removing feces is formed from plywood or mesh at an angle of 45˚. A container for collecting manure is screwed to the opening of the waste disposal unit.

Be sure to install a ventilation pipe, which is covered with a visor. This ensures proper air circulation in the cage.

Creating a mini-farm with your own hands is fraught with some difficulties. The ventilation outlet and heating system require precise calculations. However, Mikhailov proved that when the air temperature outside drops to +5˚C, rabbits need warm water. This feeding technique helped the breeder preserve up to 95% of the young, as well as increase the percentage of fertilization of females in the winter.

When it comes to installing several tiers, 2 boards are installed on each floor with a slope of 30˚. They serve as both a roof and a drain for removing feces.

Rabbit cage according to Tsvetkov's method

A distinctive feature of these rabbit cages are multiple stool collectors as well as gravity feeders. The containers are attached to the side wall of the structure. In addition, the design includes mounted queen cells, which are also fixed to the facade. The frame of the building is made with your own hands from coniferous timber.


Fixed at an angle of 30-45˚. The lower part of the tank is covered with a lid in which 2 holes are made. Thanks to such design features, rabbits will not be able to wash their paws in drinking water.

A cone-shaped gutter is assembled from galvanized steel (0.5 mm), carefully connecting the joints. These devices are placed close to and parallel to the wall. The upper part of the structure is attached to the cage itself. Plastic buckets with lids are mounted to the openings of waste bins. Latch brackets are used as fasteners. To protect rabbits from pododermatitis, the mesh floor is covered with boards. When breeding young animals, a room is provided for walking the kids. Nesting areas must be insulated with another sheet of plywood or polystyrene foam.

Modular cage according to the Komov-Kuzmin project

Anyone can make such a rabbitry. It features bottle-style vacuum drinkers as well as bi-fold doors on the manger. All the walls of the shad are made blank, which guarantees a stable microclimate inside the building all year round. The facade of the building is made of mesh. Feed containers are mounted on a monorail in the central part of the nursery. Closer to the edge, an inverted bottle and a water tank are secured with ropes. IN central zone install a gutter-silk.

Optimal parameters of a modular cage for rabbits:

  • compartment height - 44 cm;
  • depth - 80 cm;
  • width - 65 cm;
  • sennik - 20 cm.

The rear walls are equipped with hatches for cleaning pallets. These openings also provide ventilation in the summer.

Such homemade cages for rabbits are usually used as queen cells. The farmer has to clean such structures himself, using special devices.

Budget option - all-wire cage for rabbits

Among the advantages of such homemade rabbit hutches are their special strength, light weight and compactness. Such nurseries are installed under a canopy, using them only in the warm season. In winter, the structure is brought into a heated room.

To manufacture the proposed economical version of the cage, galvanized mesh is chosen:

  • coarse mesh (25 or 50 mm) is used for the construction of ceilings and walls;
  • fine mesh (15 or 20 mm) - for the floor.

Draw a diagram of the nursery on a piece of paper. All elements of the support frame, the placement of feeders/drinkers, and the location of doors are prescribed. Indicate the connection points of fasteners. The dimensions of the structure are indicated with the calculation of space for young animals - 0.12 m²/individual, adult rabbits - 0.17 m²/individual.

Take into account standard parameters cells:

  • height - 40-50 cm;
  • length - 130 cm;
  • depth - 80 cm.

The frame is erected from hardwood timber. The height of the legs is made optimal: 50-70 cm. Sheets of the required size are cut from the wire mass. Fastening brackets are made from wire. Connect the main parts of the structure. The floor must be reinforced with wooden slats, nailing bars in increments of 30-40 cm. If necessary, walls made of mesh or plywood are installed. Cut out doorways at the front of the nursery. The doors are fixed on metal rings. For the roof they use slate, and sometimes metal profiles.

The space reserved for the rabbit is equipped with an additional sheet of plywood. They spread hay on it. This nesting zone is separated by another partition.

Step-by-step instructions for a mesh cage for rabbits

The structure is assembled from wooden beams and metal mesh. It is built in 2 tiers. It has 3-4 separate chambers for adults. To assemble this nursery model, the breeder does not require any special professional skills.

All you have to do is be creative and follow detailed instructions project:

  • a base frame (1×2 m) is made from 4 beams;
  • nail 3 transverse slats (90-100 cm long) at a distance of 65 cm from each other as dividing elements;
  • attach a mesh to the frame (cells 12.5×50 mm, thickness 2 mm);

  • the sharp edge of the mesh is hammered in so that the rabbits do not get hurt;
  • legs 55 cm high are mounted at the corners of the structure;

  • strengthen the supports by fixing transverse bars around the entire perimeter at a height of 20 cm from the floor;

  • do internal partitions frame made of slats 3x3 cm (the length of one frame is 90-100 cm and the width is 65 cm);

  • the sections are covered with wire (thickness 0.8 mm, cells 25×25 mm);
  • feeders are fixed on each side of the frame using self-tapping screws;
  • the entire structure is covered with galvanized mesh 50×50 mm, 1.5 mm thick;
  • back and side walls upholstered with plywood or boards;
  • the back wall is made with a gap of 2 cm to remove feces;
  • doors are made from slats: they are fastened with corners and sheathed with wire;


  • set the hinges to 40, screw on the handles;
  • holes for drinking bowls are drilled in each section;
  • stretch the water supply tube at a height of 25 cm.

On final stage install the roof at a slight angle. A batten is fixed along one side of the frame to raise the roof structure.
This will ensure water drains during bad weather. Then up to 8 slats are nailed across the building.

The gutter for drainage is made from tin.
The second tier is constructed according to the same principle. A distance of 40-50 cm is left between floors, separated by a sheet of plywood and reinforced with transverse planks. The two blocks of the structure are secured so that they stand securely.

The wood must be treated with an antiseptic to protect the building from rotting and all kinds of fungal organisms. Breeders advise choosing less concentrated products.

We build production sheds for rabbits with our own hands

The massive structure is a large frame with a canopy. The nursery is divided into dozens of sections. The structure is erected in 2-3 tiers, which allows the manufacturer to significantly save space.

The frame is made of 3 types of material:

  • wooden beam;
  • metal supports;
  • polycarbonate pipes.

The first floor is installed at a height of 70 cm from the ground. Thus, dampness does not penetrate into the rabbits’ home, and heat is retained for a long time. Sections are mounted in 2 ways: in a row or in a cascade method. The material for the floor is a metal mesh with fine divisions.

Standard sizes of sheds for rabbits are calculated depending on the number and dimensions of one cage. Each individual cell can be 50 cm high, 100 cm long and 90 cm deep.

As already noted, an exact drawing of the structure must be depicted on paper. Prepare 6 wooden beams of 50 cm each (30×30 mm). Take 4 slats 90 cm long and the same number of meter slats.

After this they begin to implement step by step instructions shed structures for rabbits:

  • assemble the frame from prepared wooden planks according to the level;
  • the bottom of the structure is made from slats (with a cross-section of 25×20 mm and a length of 90 cm) in increments of 1.5 cm;
  • stuff the mesh onto a wooden frame;
  • cut rectangular sheets (depending on the number of sections) from galvanized wire (25x25 mm) with dimensions of 90x50 cm and 50x100 cm;
  • they fasten wooden planks at right angles to form frames and cover them with wire;
  • the front panel, which acts as a door, is made 5 mm smaller than the main opening;
  • constructed sections are connected metal plates into one whole;
  • Sheets of slate or polycarbonate are mounted on top of each tier, which should protrude 10-15 cm from the back and front of the sections.

The upper part of the rabbit cage is made at an angle of 30˚. Therefore, the back wall is taken 10-15 cm lower than the front. This feature will ensure spontaneous disposal of feces.

Shed assembly

The tiers are stacked on top of each other using beam legs attached with self-tapping screws. A distance of 50-70 cm is left between the horizontal blocks for good air ventilation. At the base of the rabbit shed, a trench is formed on the back side to collect waste.
It is usually concreted and also made on a slope. As a result, feces can be washed away using running water.

Drinkers and feeders are attached to the door with hooks or clamps. Sometimes containers with built-in rollers are used. But to do this you will need to cut a hole in the bottom of the door.

Cage for rabbits with a special enclosure for walking

Designs of this type are suitable not only for young animals, but also for raising adults. The building consists of 2 compartments, partitioned with a sheet of plywood. The depth of the sections varies from 60 to 65 cm. In each of them a square or round hole. Such structural features allow rabbits to move freely around their nursery.

When making an aviary, the following is used:

  • wooden frames;
  • wire mesh sheets;
  • door hinges;
  • slate or boards for building a roof.

The base of the enclosure frame is reinforced with additional bars. The resulting foundation is dug into the ground 3-5 cm.

The optimal dimensions of the walking area are 200x100x60 cm. Several tricks for assembling the structure will help increase the space. The made cages are installed above the enclosure. In this case, the beams-legs are selected from the maximum durable material. They can also be reinforced with additional strips or slanting slats. A ladder is attached to the adjacent wall of the structure so that the animals can safely descend into a kind of “entertainment area.”

Cleaning such an enclosure is quite difficult. Therefore, such structures are made mobile so that their location can be periodically changed.

Indispensable elements of the “interior” of a rabbit cage

Drinkers and feeders are always installed on the façade of the nursery. Farmers often use automatic systems water supply. They consist of a reservoir with liquid, placed outside the cell, and a container attached to it, which is located inside the structure.

Other types of drinkers are also successfully used:


The options for cages for rabbits proposed above are considered the most comfortable for both breeders and animals. However, for this it is necessary to properly care for the structures, as well as the animals.

Step-by-step video instructions for building a rabbit cage

Almost every owner country house there is a small farm. Some people prefer to raise cattle, others poultry, and others like to raise fluffy and adorable rabbits. But for any household it is worth considering comfortable living conditions. If you have chosen rabbits and decided to make cages for them with your own hands, you should decide in advance on the location of the cages, their size and internal contents.

On your own plot of land, cages with livestock can be placed:

  • outdoors;
  • indoors, such as a barn.

All cages for rabbits, depending on their location and breeding method, are divided into three types:

  • year-round outdoor seating;
  • year-round indoor maintenance;
  • combined maintenance (outdoors in summer, in a barn in winter).

Many rabbit breeders believe that the best option for placing cages is to arrange them outdoors. This content has a beneficial effect on animals, promotes the development of immunity to diseases, and the presence of beautiful and high-quality hair. Farming in street conditions increases the productivity of females, increases the number of rabbits in one litter and promotes their endurance.

When choosing a place to install the cage, you should consider:

  • air humidity. It should vary between 60-75%. That is, the place should be chosen on a hill and away from bodies of water;
  • exposure to direct sunlight, which has a negative effect on animals. It is better to place the cages under trees or behind an artificial fence;
  • the presence of drafts, which are common cause rabbit diseases. Air movement should not exceed 30 m/s. Do not forget about high-quality ventilation in cages. Otherwise, the fumes will undermine the health of your pets.

Street cages

All rabbit cages may differ in:

  • sizes;
  • structures;
  • manufacturing materials.

They are simple, two-tiered with additional amenities, such as heating. What kind of cage you need to build for your farm largely depends on the breed of rabbits, their size, the availability of building materials and personal preferences.

The advantages of setting up rabbit hutches outdoors include:

  • availability of large space;
  • ease of caring for animals;
  • the ability to build convenient and affordable structures.

To build outdoor cages, you will need to prepare reliable materials. They must be resistant to moisture, frost and sudden temperature changes.

Important: the cage for rabbits must protect the animals from penetration by predators such as dogs, cats, foxes, and rats.

To prevent your pets from being bothered by direct sun rays and precipitation, make a canopy with a large canopy over the building. If you breed animals all year round, you need to take care of insulating one of the parts of the cage. Despite the fact that these animals tolerate low temperature air, it is necessary to create a cozy and warm place for them where they can bask.

Important: special attention is paid to the insulation of queen cells and the compartment with small rabbits.

Cages placed indoors

Structures placed in sheds can be made of a single metal mesh attached to wooden frame. The floor must be made of wood.

If you raise rabbits indoors, it should be:

  • well plastered;
  • ventilated;
  • illuminated in winter - at least 10 hours.

It would be nice if there was a window on the entire wall on the south side of the barn.

Combined rabbit breeding option

For combined option For breeding animals, mobile cages are most suitable. In the warm season, it will be convenient to take them outside, and in the cold season, install them indoors.

If funds allow, you can make two versions of cages: one for the street, the other for the barn. But this option is unlikely to suit those who breed a large number of animals.

Cell design and size

Rabbit cages can be single or multi-tiered. Depending on who they are intended for (fawns, young animals, adults), their design depends.

Single-tier and multi-tier structures

Single-tier cages are placed above the ground at a distance of 80 cm. The roof of the structures is covered with slate or metal sheet.

Important: if the cages are located outside, it is better to cover them with slate, since the metal gets very hot, and these animals do not tolerate heat well.

For ease of caring for animals, it is better to make the tray with a gutter for easy cleaning. In single-tier structures, metal pallets are installed for storing pet waste.

Multi-tiered cells can consist of two or more tiers. On each tier there is required quantity sections. They can be made from bars, galvanized mesh and boards. These materials are suitable for the construction of rabbit hutches both outdoors and indoors.

Multi-tiered products are often called sheds. In them, the tiers are placed one above the other. This helps save space. The ideal option is two-tier structures. They provide convenient care and monitoring of pets.

When building multi-tiered cages, there must be a space of at least 15 cm between each tier. Above each cage it is necessary to install metal roof, and in the space between each tier there are inclined ebb tides. This is necessary so that the animals’ waste does not fall on the lower tiers, does not linger on the roof, but flows into specially arranged drains behind the cages.

Some people prefer to use removable plastic pallets in cells. They are convenient and easy to use. Such pallets can be installed directly in the cages themselves, or on runners under the grated floor.

Cages for breeding

In breeding cages, it is necessary to install special chambers on the sides or provide space for a mobile queen cell. If you choose an inpatient department, then the removable floor, walls and ceiling are made solid. They must be well insulated so that the young offspring do not die from cold and draft. In the rest of the cage, the floor can be made of metal mesh or wooden blocks.

The mobile queen cell is a completely closed box with an opening for entry. This box should have an additional side door so that the queen cell can be conveniently cleaned and dried. This design is convenient in that it can be rearranged into different cells as needed. They are also much more convenient for changing bedding and cleaning. The building is insulated for feeding with shavings or hay.

If you are expecting offspring in the cold winter, the mobile queen cell should be placed in an electric heating pad to create comfortable conditions for a female rabbit a few days before the addition.

In winter, it is practically impossible to do without heating the uterine tract. If you do not have an electric heating pad, you can use a regular light bulb, which should be kept constantly on during this period. The light bulb must be placed in a compartment located behind the wall of the uterine chamber.

Attention: when choosing to heat the queen cell with an electric light bulb, take care fire safety. The chamber in which the lamp will be located should first be sheathed with thin metal.

There is another method of heating this part of the cell using heating cable for heated floors. It is fixed to the bottom of the queen cell, and a removable floor panel is placed on top of it.

Important: if you prefer this type of heating, make sure that the cable is intact and without defects. Such a heating system can be connected to a thermostatic regulator. This will allow you to regulate the temperature in the uterine compartment, depending on weather conditions.

If the cells are in a barn, it is better to use a mobile queen cell. Then it will be easier to ventilate and clean them outside. If you decide to make a built-in uterine chamber, the floor in it should be removable.

In two-section single-tier cages, the length of each section should be at least 100-120 cm, and the depth - 55-65 cm. The width of the built-in uterine chamber should be 35-40 cm.

Cages for young animals

Rabbits aged from three to five months are called young animals. They are kept in groups of 8-20 pieces. The height of the cell walls must be at least 35 cm. Total area calculated on the basis that there should be 0.25 square meters per animal.

Multi-tiered cages for young animals are installed outdoors and rise 75 cm from the ground. If the floor is made of wooden blocks, it is recommended to install a metal mesh on top. This way, you will protect the rabbits, who will gnaw the tree and scratch it with their paws. For older rabbits, you can make a mesh floor.

In winter, cages with young animals must be well insulated. For this, hay or straw is used, laid 2 cm thick.

Cage for adult rabbits

Cages for medium-sized adult rabbits should have a depth of 60-70 cm and a length of 100 cm. These are the minimum sizes for comfortable breeding of animals. They can be made using the same block structures. That is, in each block there are two cells separated by a wall.

To mate animals, it is worth considering combining two cages into one using a removable partition. For adult rabbits, it is recommended to make the floor from galvanized mesh.

Attention: adults must move freely around the cage. Their growth and development will depend on this.

Cage with aviary for walking

Cages with an enclosure for walking are suitable for both young animals and rabbits of reproductive age. This design should consist of two separate compartments with a partition, a roof and a mesh enclosure. The two compartments are connected by a round or square entrance cut into the rear wall of the structure. Thanks to the convenient design, the animals move easily inside, which contributes to their proper development and growth.

The cage with a walk can be any size. It is good if its depth varies between 60-65 cm, and the depth of the enclosure - 80-100 cm. Such structures consist of single-tier blocks consisting of two separate cells. A mesh enclosure is attached to the back of the cages if there is space.

Cages for giant rabbits

Since the giant breed is a large rabbit, the cages for them must have appropriate sizes. Giants grow to considerable sizes. Their length is 55-65 cm, and their weight varies from 5.5 to 7.5 kg. When building housing for large breeds, it is worth starting from the weight and height of the animals.

For one adult, a cage is required with dimensions of 96 cm in length, 70 in depth, and 60-70 cm in height.

For young animals of the giant breed, housing may be a little simpler. For eight animals you need a cage with an area of ​​1, 2 square meters. m. Its height must be at least 40 cm.

Important: giant rabbits have an impressive weight. Therefore, the bottom of the cells should be pre-strengthened. When making a mesh floor, preference is given to thick wire, 2 mm thick. To prevent the mesh from bending under the weight of the animals, it is necessary to secure bars underneath it. If you plan to install plastic or rubber trays in cages, it is better to make a solid field under them

California rabbit cage

Californian rabbits are quite popular among breeders. They are absolutely unpretentious in care and resistant to severe frosts. Adults reach a length of up to 50 cm, and their weight ranges from 4.5 to 5 kg. The cage for this breed should be 0.5 sq.m. Since this breed's paws are covered with coarse hair, the floor can be made of lattice or mesh.

If you breed rabbits only for meat, they can be kept in a hole measuring 200 by 200 cm and about a meter deep. The walls of the pit should first be reinforced with slate, and boards or mesh should be laid on the floor. For safety, a small fence and roof are built around the pit. This method of breeding animals is as close to natural as possible and gives good results. Rabbits love to dig holes in the ground. At proper care, they will delight their owners with numerous offspring.

Making your own cells

Having decided to build cozy houses for rabbits, you need to decide in advance on the type of structure, its dimensions and materials of manufacture. You will need to prepare:

  • hacksaw;
  • hammer;
  • corner;
  • plane;
  • screwdriver

Any type of cage will consist of: a frame, walls, floor, ceiling and doors. As a rule, when building houses for these animals, metal mesh or natural wood is used.

As for materials for construction, you should prepare:

  • large sheets of plywood;
  • slate;
  • nails and screws;
  • bars;
  • slats;
  • galvanized mesh.

To make doors, you will need to additionally prepare curtains and latches.

Having chosen wood as the main building material, it should be sanded and sanded in advance. All sharp edges are processed so that the animal does not get hurt. Since rabbits wear down their teeth on wood, there should always be branches in the cages. Otherwise, they will simply gnaw on their housing.

Feeders and drinkers for rabbit cages

In addition to the construction of cells, it is necessary to carefully consider their internal arrangement. Food and water should be provided to the animals in a comfortable way. Feeders can be purchased ready-made in a store or made on your own.

Rabbits need daily large quantities clean water. If you just pour it into a plate, dirt and debris will get into it, or animals will constantly spill water. When choosing a drinking bowl, you should decide on its:

  • manufacturing materials;
  • location;
  • volume;
  • type of construction.

Attention: if the drinking bowl is made of thin plastic, animals will quickly gnaw through it. And in metal cans the water will become cloudy and dirty.

Automatic drinkers

Automatic shelves are most often used on farms where there are a lot of livestock. This design is quite simple and consists of: a bowl connected to a container. The bowl of water is always inside the cage, and the container is outside. It is easy to use and durable.

The principle of operation of this drinking bowl is quite simple: as the water from the bowl decreases, a new portion from the container enters it.

Attention: making such a drinking bowl with your own hands is quite difficult. It is easier to purchase it ready-made in the store.

Nipple drinkers

Nipple designs are practical and convenient. The liquid does not spill into them and remains in the tube until the animal begins to drink. The only drawback of such a product is that in the cold season the liquid can simply freeze in the tube.

Vacuum drinker

You can easily build a vacuum drinking bowl with your own hands from a simple plastic bottle. You can make such a drinker as follows:

  1. A bowl with a flat bottom should be fixed at a height of 10cm from the floor on the cage so that one half of it is inside the structure and the other is outside.
  2. Let's take a simple one plastic bottle for one or two liters and fill it with water. We close the bottle with a lid, turn it upside down and place it on a bowl. We secure the bottle to the cage with clamps or wire.
  3. Carefully unscrew the lid and the bowl will automatically fill with water. As the animals drink water from the drinking bowl, it will be replenished with new liquid to a certain level.

Throttle drinker

The throttle drinker works on the principle of a conventional washbasin. You can also make it yourself. To do this, you need to take a plastic bottle, make a small hole in the cap and attach the choke. A rubber gasket can be used as a valve. It will hold the throttle well and close the hole in the lid.

The drinking bowl is attached in a vertical position to the cage at a height of 30 cm from the floor.

Hanging drinker

A hanging drinker is also made from a bottle. She hangs in horizontal position on a wire, at a height of 30 cm from the floor. To make this design, it is necessary to make a cutout in the bottle, 10 cm wide along the entire length, retreating only 5 cm from the bottom and lid of the product.

The hanging drinking bowl is attached to the outside of the cage - with a cut hole facing inward.

Feeders

It is worth considering the design of feeders at the design stage of cage construction. You can feed your rabbits using:

With the right approach to breeding rabbits, you can achieve good results. If the cages are built in accordance with all standards and requirements, and feeders, drinkers and queen cells are correctly located in them, your pets will feel as comfortable as possible, will quickly develop and gain weight.